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Stallbrook
Stallbrook is the fictional city where the Free Spirits series is primarily set, among members of the Free Spirit Connection's Local Gatherings in the metropolitan area. The precise location is not given, but Bridget Torjesen is able to fly to and from Philadelphia for a meeting within a day; references to Keystone Air, the Allegheny Hotel, and Duquesne County further suggest that the city is located in central or western Pennsylvania, perhaps serving as a fictionalized version of Pittsburgh. Origin of the name For much of the series, no name was given to the city where stories were set. It wasn't until the fifth book, Laurie's Liberation, that the city was explicitly named Stallbrook. In Chapter VI, the origin of the name is provided: Stallbrook had been founded by German settlers just before the Revolutionary War. The name came from the oak bridge that they had built over one of the rivers, held together with steel nails. The nails and hardened wood led to the settlers referring to this as the “steel bridge,” or in their native German: Stahlbrücke, which was eventually anglicized to Stallbrook. While farming sustained the early town, steel and other industries soon became the major source of employment and income. Over time, the area’s economy became more diversified, with high-tech and retail service now the biggest sectors. Nicknames Stallbrook is most notably nicknamed the "Amsterdam of the Alleghenies," ostensibly because of its tolerant atmosphere and progressive policing practices around sex work and drugs. Other nicknames include "City in the Vale" (from its geographic location) and "Foundry Town" (from the previous dominance of the steel and manufacturing industries). Government and elections Stallbrook has a "strong-mayor" system of municipal government, with major offices (Mayor, City Clerk, City Auditor) and a fifteen-member City Council elected every four years. The current Mayor is Jack Oskanian, a Democrat and former member of the Board of Education, first elected in 2015. His immediate predecessor was Allan Phillips, first elected in 2007, who accepted an appointment to state government rather than run a third term. Electoral reforms have opened ballot access to a wide variety of parties and independent candidates, and the institution of ranked-choice voting has also diversified the political composition of the City Council. As of the 2019 elections, the City Council is composed of 6 Democrats, 4 Republicans, 2 Pirates, 1 Green, 1 Libertarian and 1 independent. Areas of the city Nine major areas are described throughout the series: Wincroft The Wincroft area is in the northwest corner of the city. Bridget Torjesen purchases undeveloped land in the outskirts of this area, and her assistant Charlie lives and works in a converted warehouse there. Lateshia and Fred Williams also have a house in Wincroft. North End The North End is located east of Wincroft and west of Highlands. The BDSM dungeon where the Free Spirits attend an introductory class is located in this area. Highlands The Highlands area is in the northeast corner of the city. The Scotswood Park is located here. West Side The West Side is located south of Wincroft and north of Brookview. Peri Winger originally lives in this area. "The Diamond" The downtown center of the city is nicknamed "the Diamond" by city residents. The downtown Local Gathering, the luxury Regency Hotel, the women's erotic boutique Lilith's Passion, and a number of restaurants and shops are located here. Bridget Torjesen also lives in a high-security apartment building in the Diamond. Creston Street, designated as a tolerance zone for street-based sex work, is located in the northwest edge. East Side The East Side is located south of Highlands and north of Oak Glen. A youth hostel is located here. Brookview The Brookview area is in the southwest corner of the city. The Ramseys live in a house in this area. South End The South End is located east of Brookview and west of Oak Glen. J.T. and Clara Thomas live in this area. Oak Glen The Oak Glen area is in the southeast corner of the city. Peri Winger works at a commercial real estate firm located here. Suburbs of Stallbrook Three suburbs of the city are mentioned: * Cedar Hills - south of the city, location for the south metro Local Gathering, and where Peri, Lila and Andrew share a house. * Glen Hills - northwest of the city, described as upscale; Eric and Sarah Chesterfield live here. * Pattensville - east of the city, location for the east metro Local Gathering and described as having a somewhat moderate-to-conservative political atmosphere; residents include Rachel Martini, Gabe Choi, Rajiv Nair, Laurie Franklin and Tony Graham. Category:Settings